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Wenn ein Junger Mann kommt... (When A Young Man Comes In...) Foxtrott aus dem Film „Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten" (Women Are Always The Better Diplomats) (Grothe /Dehmel) -- Willy BERKING mit seinen Solisten, Gesang: Rudi Schuricke, Imperial 1941 (Germany)

NOTE: A few days ago, accidentially I took this record in my hands and suddenly I noticed on its label the original and nicely preserved shop tag, which writes: HACK Schallplatten, Posen, Alter Markt 46 (In English: Hack's Records, Poznan, Old Town Sq. 46). That means: this record must have been bought by someone from my family, around year 1941 -- when Poznań, one of the oldest and most beautiful Polish towns -- was occupied by Germans during the 2nd World War. Therefore, I changed my mind and instead of making for this clip another nice photoshow composed of the usual set of posters: a hot-dance Orchestra's photo, the bandleader's portrait, then -- perhaps, a music sheet of the song or the face of the performing singer, etc. I decided to devote this little clip to the city of Poznań, during the days of its most tragic episode in history -- the German occupation, in years 1939-45.

My Father was born a Poznań native and he studied medicine -- first two years -- at the University of Poznań between 1929-31. Then, due to the deaths of both of his parents, which occured shortly after one another, he gave up medical studies which suddenly appeared to be too expensive for him and having employed himself at the Poznań's Main Post Office as a postal messenger, he continued his studies at a much cheaper Dept. Of Psychology. He completed his faculty in 1936, then -- he met my mother (in one of Poznań's restaurants, wher she happened to arrive for the dancing evening with her cousin, during her holidays in Poznań). Having immediately fallen in love with her, and having then arranged for himself a very good directorial contract in one of the secondary schools outside of Poznań, he started preparing himself to a new life, as a married man. Since, he was a responsible young man, he wouldn't have declared him to my mother before he was absolutely certain, he could afford buying for them a 3-4 room apartment in central Poznań plus an automobile. (Before 1939, the monthly salary of the director in secondary school was around 650 zl, which was equivalent of ca 300 USD). So, it took him 3 years to make all preparations and in August 1939 he could say: ok, everything is ready. Now, let's get down on one's knees in front of her...

In the maantime, Mum also made her preparations to a new life. Shortly before 1939, she completed the nursing and laboratory practice in one of the hospitals in Bydgoszcz, where she lived. She decided, when she moves to Poznan to marry my Dad, she would begin her medical studies in the University. Yet, before the wedding gown was ready, all their plans lay in ruins. On 1st od September 1939 quite a group of the brave young men from Germany -- all in the Wehrmacht and SS uniforms - entered Poland from the West. Two weeks later, another group of young men -- this time, in Red Army's uniforms -- entered Poland from the East. That's how Poznań joined the fate of all other Polish cities and walked into a long night of a crime, blood and despair -- to emerge from it 6 years later, half ruined, with almost half of its population murdered by nazis or enslaved in Soviet Archipelago Gulag, or scattered all over the world to be never re-united with their beloved city...

These stories were talked about many times in my childhood. And suddenly - when I took this record in my hands and saw that nazi shop-tag on its label -- they all came back to me. I decided to share them with you -- hoping, this story was not too boring and it's just appropriate for the 73rd Anniversary of the onset of the 2nd WW, we are having today.